Opinion & Analysis

After two weeks of not being able to do anything it feels nice to finally be able to get up and about and even get out and about. I am also excited to be back on the field and courts this week and looking forward to seeing some great games.
I want to apologize to anyone who normally follows me on twitter for play-by-play updates, I have been out with a ruptured appendix but no worries the play-by-plays will continue this week.

Wow, it has been a full year since I started this job and let me just tell you, Bedford County sent me on a ride of a lifetime. Getting to the know the athletes, the teams and the schools has been amazing. Of course, it’s always a pleasure to write about these teams and speak to all the coaches.

This year’s NFL season started this past week, finally, and there has been a lot of controversy around the NFL players and other athletes who are now choosing to take a knee or sit during the National Anthem.
While I agree they have every right to do that because the soldiers who have fought, been injured and even lost their lives did it for us to continue to have our freedom. We all have the right to free speech and I think it is good that people exercise their rights.

The NFL has instituted new rules for the 2016 season - not too many and most won’t really make a difference.
First, the injured reserve list. Teams no longer have to designate an injured player to return, however if a player is put on the injured reserve they have to stay there for a minimum of six weeks.
I believe the only change there is players no longer have to be designated to return.

The summer Olympics have been nothing but amazing this year. So many world records are being set and also a lot of firsts happening in this Olympics.
During day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympics, Usain Bolt finished first in the 100m, for the third time. The Olympics saw a marriage proposal on the podium at a medal ceremony. The Olympics also handed out its first medals for Golf since 1904.

Wow, that opening ceremony to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics was more than stunning. The culture, the visuals and the lighting of the torch was just amazing. What a beautiful way to open up one of the most prestigious world athletic events. If you missed it I highly recommend trying to find it on Youtube because it was spectacular.

The New York Giants have picked up another local star, Logan Thomas, in hopes that he will become a true NFL quarterback. Thomas will have a chance to learn under Eli Manning a great quarterback, even though I am not a fan of him.
Thomas will also get to work along side of Rashad Jennings, a Jefferson Forest graduate. Jennings was recently back in Lynchburg running a youth camp at Liberty University.
The Jennings family still lives locally which gives him more reason to come back and visit the town he grew up in.

There are only 43 days until the NFL has its openings game for the 2016-17 football season. Only 11 days are left until the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics and two weeks until our first local football game of the season when Jefferson Forest takes on Liberty Christian Academy for a benefit game at Liberty University. Staunton River will take on Louisa County on Saturday, August 13 for a home benefit game.